The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has described Methamphetamine laboratories concealed in forests in parts of the country as another emerging threat, revealing that international drug cartels are increasingly partnering with Nigerian syndicates to establish industrial-scale clandestine laboratories in forest areas under the cover of farming.

The Agency said it dismantled the largest clandestine methamphetamine laboratory ever discovered in Nigeria, intercepted drug consignments cumulatively valued at hundreds of billions of naira, and secured 1,778 convictions , including 65 drug kingpins, between January and May 2026.

Also, during the period, the Agency smashed Nigeria’s largest-ever methamphetamine laboratory, intercepted ₦480 billion drug haul and recorded 9,769 arrests.

NDLEA Spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this during a news briefing by Spokespersons of security, defence, and law enforcement agencies at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) as part of the contributions of their agencies between January and June 2026.

“The first strike targeted an industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory hidden inside a remote farm in Abidagba Forest, Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, where seven cartel operators were caught mid-production.

“Simultaneously, a tactical team raided a luxury fortified property in Lakowe, Lekki, Lagos, arresting the overall cartel kingpin, Anochili Innocent. Three Mexican meth technicians, imported specifically for their chemical synthesis expertise, were also taken into custody.

“In total, 10 cartel members were arrested. The forensic team recovered 2,419.48 kilograms of precursor chemicals, industrial solvents and finished crystallised methamphetamine, valued at $362.9 million (approximately ₦480 billion) on the international market, making it the largest single drug seizure in Nigerian history by value,” Babafemi said.

According to him, more than 15 drug-related hotspots were identified and destroyed in the FCT alone during the period, with 132 suspects arrested. In Delta State, operations in May destroyed 65,000 kilograms of cannabis plants across 26 hectares of forest farmland.

He said that alongside enforcement, the Agency counselled, treated and rehabilitated 6,533 drug users between January and May, adding that through 2,252 War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, workplaces, worship centres, motor parks and markets, a combined audience of 770,000 Nigerians was reached.

“The NDLEA also launched an Alternative Development Pilot Project in January 2026 aimed at transitioning communities dependent on illicit crop farming to legal, sustainable livelihoods, with support from UNODC.”

He said some notable arrests during the period were Lekan Jimoh, alias “Kanmo-kanmo”, a notorious drug kingpin wanted for the murder of three NDLEA officers in Ogun State, a 30-year-old Brazilian woman arrested at Abuja Airport with 30.09 kg of heroin concealed in factory-sealed coffee packs, a drug kingpin caught running his transnational logistics operation from inside Ikoyi Correctional Centre while serving a sentence for cocaine trafficking, and a former two-term elected Lagos local government councillor arrested with 40 kg of cannabis at his Ijebu-Lekki residence.